The Next ‘Kingsman’ Will Be a Prequel Called ‘The King’s Man’

Although Matthew Vaughn had previously claimed the third Kingsman film would serve as “the conclusion of the Harry Hart-Eggsy relationship” that drove the first two installments in the franchise, it now appears instead that the third Kingsman will instead be a prequel. Fox announced today that the movie is titled The King’s Man, and coming to theaters next year. Here’s the official synopsis they shared:

As a collection of history's worst tyrants and criminal masterminds gather to plot a war to wipe out millions, one man must race against time to stop them. Discover the origins of the very first independent intelligence agency in THE KING'S MAN, directed by Matthew Vaughn, coming to theaters February 2020.

The announcement included no casting information.

The first film in the franchise, Kingsman: The Secret Service, opened in 2014 and became a surprise hit for Fox. Based on the comic book series The Secret Service by Mark Millar and Dave Gibbons, the movie followed Eggsy (Taron Egerton) as he joined the British spy agency the Kingsman, including its greatest spy Harry Hart (Colin Firth), to stop an evil billionaire played by Samuel L. Jackson. The second film, Kingsman: The Golden Circle introduced their American counterparts, Statesman, including Channing Tatum’s Tequila. That seemed like a possible setup for a spinoff, but as of this writing one hasn’t materialized. Instead, we’re getting a prequel, presumably with an all-new cast. (Taron Egerton has already said he won’t be returning.)